Pawn Wave

Whether it is in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.various Bc5 5.Bxf7+), or the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nc4 4.Bxf7+), the pawns that White receives for his sacrificed piece(s) are very important. Sometimes these "Jerome pawns" advance like a wall and make mischief. Sometimes they advance like a wave.

perrypawnpusher - theferno
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

Wow – didn't I just play this?

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+

I'm sure glad that I read this blog, where this line was recently analyzed.

The New Year's Database has 61 games with this line, with White scoring 61%. (Remember the caution about statistics: Your mileage may vary.)

8... Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6

This move is stronger than 9...Ke8, which should have led to a draw after 10.Qg6+ etc. Instead, perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz FICS, 2009 continued: 10.Qe5+ Qe7 11.Qxd4 Bg7 12.Qc4 Kd8 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.0-0 c6 15.d4 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.Qxd5+ Qd7 19.Bg5+ Kc7 20.Qc5+ Qc6 21.Qxc6+ bxc6 22.c3 Rb8 23.b3 Rh5 24.Bf4+ Kb7 25.Bxb8 Kxb8 26.Rae1 Ba6 27.Re8+ Kc7 28.Rfe1 Bh6 29.R8e5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 Bd2 31.c4 Bc3 32.Re4 Bb7 33.d5 cxd5 34.cxd5 Bxd5 35.Re7+ Kb6 36.h4 Bf6 37.Rd7 Be6 38.Rd6+ Kc7 39.Rxe6 Black resigned

10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4

Fritz8 gives a slight edge to Black here, but I am sure that any Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member would be happy with the four pawns that White has in exchange for his sacrificed Bishop.

11...Qd7

I am not sure of Black's idea, here. Perhaps he initially thought of following this up with ...Qd7-g4 – a good idea against my next move (12.f3 was more to the point). Otherwise, 11...Bg7 was a good alternative.

12.Nc3 Bg7

Again, 12...Qg4 was a reasonable choice.

13.Nd5+

After the game Rybka preferred: 13.h3 b5 14.d3 c5 15.Qe3 Bb7 16.Ne2 Kd8 with and edge to White. Must be the pawns.

analysis diagram






13...Nxd5

This capture is a mistake. Better, according to Rybka, was 13...Kf7 14.Ne3 Qc6 15.d3 Ng4 16.Qd5+ Qxd5 17.Nxd5 Nxh2 18.Ke2 c6 19.Ne3 Be6 20.f4 Rag8 21.Bd2 Ke7 22.Bc3 Bxc3 23.bxc3 when Black's pieces put good pressure on White's pawns, for an advantage.

analysis diagram





14.Qxg7+ Ke6 15.Qxh8 Nb4

White is up the exchange – plus those great Kingside pawns – so the next move is not hard to understand.

16.Qh3+ Ke7 17.Qxd7+ Bxd7 18.Kd1 Rf8

Black has a temporary advantage in development, but once White is safe, the pawns can roll.

19.f3 Kd8 20.d3 d5

21.Bg5+ Kc8 22.e5 Rf5 23.f4 d4 24.g4 Rf8 25.f5

25...Nd5 26.e6 Bc6 27.Re1 Rg8 28.h4

Black resigned